A bright new voice in the fantasy genre (George R. R. Martin), acclaimed author Scott Lynch continues to astound and entertain with his thrillingly inventive, wickedly funny, suspense-filled adventures featuring con artist extraordinaire Locke Lamora. And is his most captivating novel yet.

With what should have been the greatest heist of their career gone spectacularly sour, Locke and his trusted partner, Jean, have barely escaped with their lives. Or at least Jean has. But Locke is slowly succumbing to a deadly poison that no alchemist or physiker can cure. Yet just as the end is near, a mysterious Bondsmage offers Locke an opportunity that will either save him or finish him off once and for all.

Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his bodythough the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jeans imploringand the Bondsmages mention of a woman from Lockes past: Sabetha. She is the love of his life, his equal in skill and wit, and now, his greatest rival.

Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabethaor to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.

PRAISE FOR SCOTT LYNCH

Fast paced, fun, and impossible to put down . . . Locke and company remain among the most engaging protagonists in fantasy. (starred review)

has all the colorful action, witty repartee, and devious scheming that fans of the series have come to expect.

A fantasy world unique among its peers . . . If youre looking for a great new fantasy series this is one you wont want to miss. . . . In a word: AWESOME!

Lynch hasnt merely imagined a far-off world, hes created it, put it all down on paperthe smells, the sounds, the people, the feel of the place. The novel is a virtuoso performance, and sf/fantasy fans will gobble it up. (starred review)

firmly proves that Scott Lynch isnt a one-hit wonder. . . . Itll only be a matter of time before Scott Lynch is mentioned in the same breath as George R. R. Martin and Steven Erikson.

Grand, grandiose, grandiloquent . . . No critic is likely to fault Lynch in his overflowing qualities of inventiveness, audacious draftsmanship, and sympathetic characterization.

Right now, in the full flush of a second reading, I think is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. Maybe my top five. If you havent read it, you should. If you have read it, you should probably read it again.Patrick Rothfuss, bestselling author of